Though not required, you may use a URITK page to gather your research for your final exam. The questions that you should address include:
What is the problem or issue?
Why is this issue important?
What is the historical roots of this problem? What has been tried in the past?
What are the current approaches?
How does this problem/issue relate to RI schools? Is there evidence of a connection to the schools/districts/communities that we researched earlier?
What are your views, opinions, concerns, or solutions related to the problem?
After Criticism, the Administration Is Praised for Final Rules on Education Grants
Obama has proposed a "Race to the Top" program, in which states can receive grants for improving their education. In all, there is $4 billion that can be given to schools. By mid-January applications must be completed in order to compete for the grants. The applications are judged based off a 500 point award system. Points are distributed in the following manner: 125 for having a detailed agenda of change, 70 for creating higher standards and higher quality tests, 47 for making computerized systems that track students' progress, 138 for recruiting quality teachers, 50 for turning around failing school, 40 for the growth of charter schools, and 30 for other miscellaneous changes. The majority of points are focused on "rewarding for work on new standardized tests". States will receive money based on their size, meaning that the four largest states, California, Texas, New York, and Florida, will be able to receive between $350-$700 million.
A $4 Billion Push for Better Schools
Obama Hopes Funding Will Be Powerful Incentive in 'Race to the Top'
$4.35 billion in federal aid grants
accept more charter schools and performance pay for teachers
ease limits on charter schools, tie teacher pay to student achievement and move for the first time toward common academic standards
leverage to drive the president's education agenda in Rhode Island, Tennessee, Colorado and elsewhere
US trails in math and science compared to other countries
Obama wants to incorporate teacher unions, unlike NCLB
many teachers may resist the changes that come along with this program
bringing the federal government into an area controlled mostly by state and local governments
money given to states that back up the fact that students scores and teachers are improving
voluntary program: states do not have to participate
teachers fear they will be fired if their students perform low
law enacted in February
Advice:
create data systems to show students progress with teachers
lift limits on charter schools
Money awarded in two waves in 2010
$350 million to the 46 states that have signed to make common academic standards
Rhode Island legislature debated $1.5 million in spending for two charter schools
underfunding ---> competitive disadvantage
Obama’s ‘Race to the Top’
Who’ll blink first: the unions, or the White House?
can no longer blame a "lack of money" as the big problem
U.S. as a whole spent $667 billion on K-12 education in the 2008-09 school year alone
$553 billion in 2006-07
reading scores on standardized test have remained the same for many years (not increasing)
black and hispanic students still have lower standardized tests scores and graduation rates
"Race to the Top" only rewards states that improve their academics, raise teacher standards, increase number of charter schools
National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers
two teacher unions that oppose the idea of being paid for student performance vs. credentials and seniority
is Obama willing to withhold grants from crucial states
Rhode Island already passed charter laws, hoping to get in the front of the grant process
charter schools generally produce better results and require less money
Report on Public School
Funding: Factors in Washington County Rhode Island
RI is below average in supporting education
2004: average state funding is 49.1%, RI is only 37%
majority of money goes to urban districts
Salaries and benefits are accelerating beyond towns’ ability to fund with the property tax system alone
property taxes is the main funding source
land wealth doesn't necessarily correlate with the wealth of a family
housing such as apartments does not provide enough money for the amount of students coming from them
urban=$6,550 per pupil compared to suburban= $2,114 and rural=$2,369
President Obama on Race to the Top
Arnie Duncan, Secretary of Education
"Future belongs to the nation that best educates its people. period." -Obama
we are being outpaced in math and science
"Improving education is centrail to rebuilding the economy" -Obama
out aside $4 billion
largest amount for education in american history
not every state will receive the grant
create higher and clearer standards
common set of standards
thoughtful assessments of problem solving and creativity
so far 46 states are in the process of creating this
plan is based off "whether a state is ready to do what works"
teachers performance will be based off of yearly data
some schools this it's unlawful to link student and teacher performance
will have to change their ways if they want to receive a grant
Sources of Funding in Rhode Island
Local= 57%, $1,184.5 million
State= 36%, $753.9 million
Federal= 7%, 143.5 million
Foundations of American Education
Tenth Amendment
states have the power to provide for public education
education is nationalized in many other parts of the world
each state has its own laws by which it funds schools
Fourteenth Amendment
equal education opportunity
Savage Inequalites
pg. 207: "property taxes and the localization of the uses of those taxes have combined to make the public school into an educator the educated rich and a keeper for the uneducated poor. There is no more powerful force for rigidity of social class and the frustration of natural potential..."
pg. 208: basic formula for financing schools is a "foundation program"
local taxes on the property value of homes and businesses initially pays for the running of public school
for wealthy areas, property taxes are usually sufficient funding
in less wealthy areas, property taxes are not enough to pay for schools
state provides more fund to try to even out the wealthy and poorer districts
that state gives money to all school districts (even wealthy), so often the impoverished areas still suffer
After Criticism, the Administration Is Praised for Final Rules on Education Grants
Obama has proposed a "Race to the Top" program, in which states can receive grants for improving their education. In all, there is $4 billion that can be given to schools. By mid-January applications must be completed in order to compete for the grants. The applications are judged based off a 500 point award system. Points are distributed in the following manner: 125 for having a detailed agenda of change, 70 for creating higher standards and higher quality tests, 47 for making computerized systems that track students' progress, 138 for recruiting quality teachers, 50 for turning around failing school, 40 for the growth of charter schools, and 30 for other miscellaneous changes. The majority of points are focused on "rewarding for work on new standardized tests". States will receive money based on their size, meaning that the four largest states, California, Texas, New York, and Florida, will be able to receive between $350-$700 million.
A $4 Billion Push for Better Schools
Obama Hopes Funding Will Be Powerful Incentive in 'Race to the Top'
Obama’s ‘Race to the Top’
Who’ll blink first: the unions, or the White House?
Report on Public School
Funding: Factors in Washington County Rhode Island
President Obama on Race to the Top
Sources of Funding in Rhode Island
Foundations of American Education
Savage Inequalites